In the past few years, people have become increasingly concerned with the importance of protecting the environment, and one of the best ways to protect our beautiful blue planet is by recycling. There is no denying the importance, and usefulness of recycling, reusing and up-cycling, especially in this day and age. The Earth has blessed us with so many wonderful gifts, and it is time to return the favor. Just think about it this way, every time something becomes useless to you, you throw it away, but what exactly is that …”away”..? Have you ever stopped to wonder where everything goes? These are questions that stand at the foundation of recycling companies worldwide. Here are three case studies worth mentioning on how companies managed to make recycling part of people’s lives. And how they added a different meaning to the idea of “waste”.

Case Study 1: Australia

Recycling is of the utmost importance for many reasons, one of them being the concern for the preservation of natural resources and the well-being of our future generations. The truth is that the world population is rapidly increasing, and there is less space for everyone, let alone all the waste that they leave behind. The main problem with waste is where to put it. Due to environmental concerns, the issue requires special attention.

Rather than disposing waste, recycling business such as Instant waste, an Australian-based company, decided to restore it. In a country that has a population of 23,026,119 residents, where one birth is expected every 1 minute and 44 seconds, and a net gain of one migrant is expected every 2 minutes and 19 seconds, according to AU Stats, plus an overall population increase by 1 citizen every 1 minute and 23 seconds, we expect a lot of consumers and a lot of waste.

In an attempt to support sustainable actions and protect the environment, the company works under the principle of “recycling for the future to maximise the recovery and recycling of resources from waste”.

Note: Did you know that there are a lot of appliances, devices and electronic gadgets that you can recycle and re-use? Not only will this action save you a lot of money, but it will also help build a better environment. Don’t think that one action cannot impact the health of the entire globe, or that your actions are in vain, because it is small ripples that make the surface of the water stir.

Case Study 2: United Kingdom

From all the way across the Globe in Australia, let’s move to the United Kingdom. With a population triple the size of Australia, the UK scores in the public eye with a total population of 63.2 million, according to the 2011 Census Day Estimate and a net migration score of 163,000 migrants, according to a June 2012 report. We can also add here a total of 808,000 births in the UK in 2011, composed of approx. 612,000 births to UK women and 196,000 births to non-UK women. So we can’t help wonder how much people consume goods and products and how much waste is produced per capita? Judging from these figures, we can only imagine why there was a need for recycling companies to emerge.

What Can Be Recycled in the UK

1.BATTERIES AND BULBS

Note: Did you know that not only conventional light bulbs are recyclable but also fluorescent, LED and incandescent ones? Or that 98 percent of the material used to create them can be reused (granted that the bulbs are crushed, the chemicals extracted, the glass and metal are separated)?

Batteries are also commonly recycled although not many users opt to dispose of them in the correct manner (most batteries are thrown away in bins). And this is alarming seeing that 90 percent of lead-acid batteries (car batteries) are being recycled yearly, but only 4 percent of non-lead-ones are being properly disposed of. It is true that environmental policies are being passed, where it is stated that each shop that sells over a specific amount of batteries per year should also provide in-store recycling facilities. But even so, most battery users still won’t make the extra drive to the store to dispose of their batteries correctly.

2.PRINTER CARTRIDGES

More and more companies are encouraging their clients to join the green revolution. One might think how such a strategy might benefit a business, because by recycling a cartridge you are practically saving more money than you would have spent to buy a new one. The fact of the matter is that businesses have become more client-oriented. In other words, they care about the needs of the client first and foremost. The idea is to make things as easy as possible. This is also the case for Recycle Aid, a UK recycling company that works on the principle of “Together we can make a difference”.

The main difference between an original cartridge and a re-manufactured one is price. The quality is usually the same, because recycled cartridges, modified to fit their new purpose, are verified by a team of experts, who will offer nothing but the best. It is up to you to decide if you want to help the Planet or not.

Case Study 3: the United States of America

The US is no exception to consumerism growth and growth of waste and products that can be recycled. So what is being recycled in the US? The answer is: computers and electronics.

Electronic waste has become the fastest-growing part of the American garbage stream and it is easy to understand why. Yearly, more than 350,000 mobile phones and 130,000 computers are disposed of. And since mercury, lead and toxic materials that have to be used in the production of these devices can leak from landfills, proper disposal of e-waste is crucial. As landfills no longer accept electronic devices or they charge expensive disposal fees for receiving them, it is important for citizen to know how and where they can throw them away. So our suggestion is to check if your local electronics shop does not have a take-back program (many of them also have a “change the old one for the new one” type of deal where you take back your old TV for instance and you get a reasonable discount for a new one) or if there are any drop-off points in your proximity. So to say, any tech-company and mobile company has become a supporter for sustainability and recycling in the US. And the trend has spread worldwide.

Conclusions

Recycling is an important matter as everything we throw away can seriously harm the environment. We advise consumers to be diligent in searching for an easy, convenient recycling solution and to make sure they become actively involved, make the most of electronics, computers, TV sets and other disposable products.

Shop consciously and think of others when you dispose of your waste!

Guest post written by:Roxana

Roxana is an eco enthusiast that supports the idea of sustainability and recycling. She believes companies, countries and citizens worldwide must join forces and protect our beautiful Earth. You can stay in touch with Roxana on Google+ ( https://plus.google.com/100992360586064517629?rel=author ).